Tim Federle, Better Nate Than Ever, Walker Books, 1 May 2015, 288pp., $12.95 (pbk), ISBN 978 1 4063 6153 7 Nate is a misfit in his community: he is a short, stuttering, spotty 13 year old, from an unhappy home who is bullied because everyone believes he is homosexual. Nate is unsure of the veracity of this belief, which seems fair enough to me. I can remember plenty of boys being bullied about their sexuality at high school on the fairly flimsy grounds that: they played the piano, were very shy, didn’t have a father, ice skated or had excellent…
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Julia Louise (text) Anne Ryan (illus.) Shadowcat, The Five Mile Press, August 2015, 32pp., $19.95 (hbk) ISBN 9781760067090 This is a gentle but not flippant story of a mystical cat that shakes a young Edith out of a ‘gnomishness’ that has descended upon her since the birth of her new sibling, and helps her re-engage with her family and life. Despite the childlike innocence in the pastel illustrations, there is a weightiness to the story of Edith who has lost her spark and the cat that mysteriously appears to teach her to dance and dream through the darkness. The whimsical oil-painted…
E Lockhart, Lauren Myracle and Sarah Mlynowski, How to Be Bad, Hot Key Books/Five Mile Press, 1 June 2015, 325pp., $16.95 (pbk), ISBN 978 1 47140 484 9 Three authors have co-operated to write about a road trip that three girls take in a ‘borrowed’ car, a novel inspired by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn’s Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist. Jesse, Vick and Mel join up by default and set off to visit Vick’s boyfriend, Brady, at the University of Miami. On the way they meet a dishy boy, fight off an alligator, stay at an expensive hotel, get drunk and…
Lizzie Wilcock, Thirst, Scholastic, 1 May 2015, 252pp, $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 97817428 39660 On their way to Alice Springs, where they will be fostered for the umpteenth time, the car they are being driven in crashes, the driver dies, and two children must survive the desert. Fourteen-year-old Karanda reluctantly agrees to stay with eight-year-old Solomon while they hide from any rescue party. For some six weeks they work together to stay alive. Solomon has an encyclopaedic knowledge of edible native plants, and he is also able to weave baskets, and make hats, beds and tables from reeds. Karanda catches fish,…
Nick Falk (text), Tony Flowers (illus.), The Race for the Shogun’s Treasure (Samurai vs Ninja #2), Random House, 1 April 2015, 88pp., $9.99 (pbk) ISBN 9780857986368 There are some specific nuances carried over from the first book to the next, particularly so in terms of understanding the humour and one or two references to events in the previous title. But essentially readers would be able to pick up this second title in the Samurai vs Ninja series, The Race for the Shogun’s Treasure, and easily become immersed in the language and the antics of these silly ancient warrior brothers without…
Nick Falk (text), Tony Flowers (illus.), The Battle For the Golden Egg (Samurai vs Ninja #1), Random House, 1 April 2015, 83pp., $9.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780857986054 First in this series by this unstoppable author – illustrator duo is the spirited, Japanese-flavoured, battle action with a classic case of sibling rivalry in The Battle For the Golden Egg. In the period of the Edo, within the walls of their humorously labeled castles, dwell the equally apt warriors and competitive brothers; the serious, up-tight Kingyo-Sama (Master Goldfish) with his samurai, and the foolish, sneaky Buta-Sama (Master Pig) with his ninja. A challenge…
Jen Breach (text), Douglas Holgate (illus.), Something’s Amiss at the Zoo, Hachette, 30 June 2015, 24pp., $14.99 (pbk), $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9780734416223 Two acclaimed comic creators, Jen Breach and Douglas Holgate have teamed up in this utterly riotous tale of a boy who reorganises chaos at the zoo caused by a pair of incompetent zookeepers. In a classic comic style, with informal and witty dialogue supported by bold and animated cartoon characters in pictorial spreads, we meet the (unnamed) modest kid who has been called in to take charge of a perplexing situation. The daft zookeepers don’t understand why the Spider…
Jessica Shirvington (text), Claire Robertson (illus.), Just the Way We Are, ABC Books, 22 June 2015, 32pp., $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9780733331626 Bestselling creators Jessica Shirvington and Claire Robertson combine in this important story that aims to reinforce the notion that each kind of family unit is unique and special. In Just the Way We Are we are greeted by five culturally different children, Anna, Chiara, Henry, Izzy and Jack. Each child introduces the reader to the people they live with and a fun weekend event that involves the whole family. Anna’s Grandpa stays with them and dazzles up a dessert…
Ben Kitchin (text), Owen Swan (illus). The Red Feather, New Frontier Publishing, 1 July 2015, 32pp., $24.99 (hbk) ISBN: 9879095988439. Claude, Shelly, William and Maya go to the seaside, where Claude finds an amazing, beautiful, large red feather. Claude is reluctant to share his treasure, but when he eventually gets hungry, he trades it for a watermelon. Each child in turns plays with the feather in their own creative ways before trading it for something they need, until they realise that it is more fun to share it. While no parents are in evidence, the children are supplied with plentiful food and…
Sally Murphy (text) Janine Dawson (illus). Fly-in Fly-out Dad, The Five Mile Press, May 2015. 32pp., $16.95 (hbk) ISBN: 9781743467299. Fly-in Fly-out (FiFo) workers are a common phenomenon in Western Australia and other States where mining and oil companies operate. While in real terms it has been increasingly obvious that this system can put heavy social and personal stresses on family life, this delightful picture book captures the resilience of children, and put a happier face on the situation. At home, Dad is able to fully engage with his family, helping with mundane chores like hanging out the washing but also having…